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XXX - Little Salkeld Multigrain Sourdough |Trial 2

XXX - Little Salkeld Multigrain Sourdough |Trial 2

Baked another batch of Multigrain sourdough using Four Grain Flour Richard (Ruralidle) kindly gave to me. For this batch, I incread Four Grain Flour to 33% (=the proportion to main dough flour. About 27% including levain) and used Dove's Organic Bread flour instead of Waitrose Leckford Estate strong flour. Also I doubled the amount to make two loaves. Dove's flour (12.5%) is lower in protein than Waitrose's Leckford Estate (13.6%), so I did a few extra S & F to make sure gluten development is sufficient enough, but other than those changes everything else stayed the same as the first bake (link). And this is how it turned out.

I was a bit worried if it'd become heavier but the texture was quite similar to the first batch, but with deeper flavour and slightly increased natural sweetness. I really liked the first one but I definitely love this one better. So naturally, the next trial is going to be 50% Four Grain flour.

According to their website, it's "Stoneground Wheat Flour with Cracked Rye Flakes, Barley Flakes and Oat Flakes." It also says the flour makes "a solid loaf full of flakes," so I was a bit worried increasing it to 33% might make the loaves heavier but I was pleasantly surprised the texuture didn't change that much. Just increased flavour. Lucky! :p

They bloomed stunningly. The crumb and crust looks equally lovely. I think the percentage of flour blends used looks and sounds delicious. What are the flour combo's used?

I have tried a 12 grain blend back in 08 on a blogged PR Italian loaf and it was delicious..the crust was red. King Arthur flours, finally has back a 9 grain blend that is a little pricy..but in the long run..for me anyway, cheaper than buying so many flours to blend. You have a nice friend to gift you the flour blend.

To be perfectly honest, it might have benefited with a tiny bit longer with proofing. Maybe another 15-20 min or so. I might have not get a grigne like that but I think the crumb would've become a little more open.

Longer proofing might have resulted in a less open crumb...I think you have hit the sweet spot in these loaves, they are lovely!

I suspected your flour blend was extra special :)

The one I mentioned with nine grain blends had wheat, high fiber sustagrain barley rye, oats, amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, and teff...the 12 grain blend I used way back when also had brown rice, spelt, and corn.

This reminds me of all the odd and ends flours, and grains I have stashed in my freezer that need used up!

This reminds me of all the odd and ends flours, and grains I have stashed in my freezer that need used up!

LOL it reminds me of wonderful dosa (Indian rice flour pancake) my friend's mother taught me when she was over here from Mumbai. Dosa is usually made of ground rice flour, but she put all the pulses in the cupboard which she wanted to use up and ground them with rice. I think it had 7 or 8 kinds of pulses. Just an improvised recipe but it tasted great!

I also love the way your crumb's turn out. Perfect ratio of large-to-medium-to-small holes, and without any dense pockets. I think it shows a proper fermentation, without under or over doing it, and spot on handling of the dough.

LOL I'd say no need to be jealous of me at all as you're constantly pumping out beautiful loaves with gorgeous crumb! :) As I said to Sylvia above, I think it could've done better with another 15-20 min of proofing to make the crumb a little more open actually...........but then Andy might say I'm too much of a critic of myself, again. :p

For me, I used to think that a lot of massively huge holes was a good thing, and I did accomplish that goal, but for what? I tried to put spreads on it, and it all just drops through. Too many too large holes in not for me, in my opinion. But it's all personal preference, there is no right or wrong. :) These days, I think a good distribution of some large, some medium, some small holes are ideal, without any dense pockets.

setting yourself such exacting standards is what helps to drive you to continually improve. However, these loaves just show what a great baker you already are. Aiming for a more open crumb when using Watermill flour is almost unreasonable!

........... OK, I confess. :p It was really a tiny weeny bit underproofed. The result of finger-poking test was the level I would normally have left another 15 min or so, but I needed to use the oven after baking the bread, so I started baking it. Those slices in the photo look OK but the slices from the middle part of the loaf weren't as open as those, though I must admit they were dense either. So probably just about 15 min longer it needed to proof. But it's OK. The middle part became my husband's sandwiches and he's not as fussy as me! :p

I'll bake 50% Four Grain Flour loaf earlier next week..... to see how unreasonable I can be! :p

Double-scoring on a long oval loaf like this has been my standard for a while now. So standard even when I'm determined to score differently for a change, my hand moves automatically to make double-scoring and it's too late to do anything else when I notice it and all my breads look the same! Need to bread the habit one day.....:p

They looked so beautiful I felt it is a sacriligde to slice them open, I know what you think, I am going to try this as well and as I said before you inspire me with your lovely looking bread. I have a lot to live up to. bye

Really interested to hear what you think of the flour. I just had a few slices this morning for breakfast and it really tasted good. I think it benefits from a tiny weeny bit longer baking time, like 3-4 min probably. It brings out the flavour the grains better.

Yes, it was Dove's bread flour I used for this. Had never used it before but I think the flavour is quite good.....though I prefer the aroma of Waitrose's Leckford Estate flour better. Can you get it over there?

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